If exam scores were what really determined our future, then a lot of bright students wouldn't be holding out their first-class certificates, hustling for a job to at least sustain a manageable family life. A lot goes into having that dream we so desire, more than exams, but that doesn't diminish the importance of exams for students.
Now let's be real, do students actually like sitting for exams? The truth is no; maybe a few do, because exam periods keep us on the edge and actually bring out the unseriousness in, especially the unserious ones, who only remember to carry their books to read the night before exams. So yes, exams might not be the overall test of someone's intelligence, as I've seen some successful people who were dullards in school actually coming out to excel in a passion or chosen craft, but sitting for exams also serves as a form of proof that the students actually understand and can defend what they've been taught.
These students graduate to hold important positions in society; a doctor, for instance: would you feel safe as a patient allowing a doctor who didn't pass with good grades, and definitely can't defend what he studied, to practice on you? The definite answer is no. As much as applying knowledge is important, so is the proof you get when you actually pass an exam.
I'm also currently preparing for an exam which is supposed to start around the end of next month, though it is hard to concentrate and read now because I think I still have time. But preparing earlier gives me a better chance of actually reading and understanding enough to pass effortlessly, rather than trying to cover hundreds or thousands of my textbook pages in one night, which is only cramming, or what some might refer to as a test of memory truth is, no matter how good you are at cramming, the aspect of understanding and still being able to defend what you studied still eludes you.
The irony of it all, especially in this present time, is that life outside school is an open book entirely.
If you eventually land yourself a job or business establishment, no one will stop you from using the internet, asking your colleague for help, or even using AI to fix some challenges. They will say, “Fix it. Use whatever you need. Just get it right. Apart from going to school and showing that you can ace your exams, being smart and ready to upgrade your self and skill is a must, so yeah, sitting for an examination alone is not the only test of intelligence; it's beyond.
In my own perspective, I think exams are just the easiest way to scale judgement. For instance, having 10,000 applicants and 500 slots, Exams give institutions something that looks objective, comparable, and defensible. “He got 72%, or she got 68%.” It makes people feel fair, even when it isn’t.
Image was generated using AI